New Kindle Voyage

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by booklover6

JSWolf: A hacked Kindle screen can look like that, as I am sure you know.

An UNHACKED Sony, nook, T68, and some others can get that sort of look without the need to do anything other then edit the CSS/XML of the ePub.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Crowl

I actually think that looks pretty horrible, it all seems to cramped and needlessly squished together so much that I'd end up reading slower with it set like that.

But there are settings to widen the margins and widen the line height. That's the issue here. Amazon starts off wide and gets worse. There are lots of people that would like a look like that to their eBooks and if not, just set it so you get wider margins and/or line height. With proper settings, you please everyone, not just some and nobody has to put up with a fixed set of settings because there's nothing else available to change things.

Some want smaller margins and smaller line height, give settings for it. The settings most people use are OK as the largest settings. The other two settings are just too large for margins and line height. Change them to make things smaller and more people will be happy.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

Thanks for the link Crowl. I did read it all and one thing that I spotted is the 'software' once opened is often non returnable and I'm sure that's why the retailers are taking the non returnable stance with the ereaders

In the US, most retailers have a non-returnable policy for opened software. But I have returned some software that I was unable to install and/or get to run properly.

A lot of US shops have a non-return policy on TVs as people used to buy, watch the Superbowl and return them. But you can still return if there TV is damaged.

[Yolina]

Originally Posted by xendula

All Amazon has to do is offer a set amount of fonts (10? 20?) you can send to your kindle from the manage my devices interface. Just have checkmarks for the ones you wish to have on the device, if the number must be limited (though they could just add a scrollbar to the font selection and let people decide how many they wish to scroll through).
In terms of margins, how hard can it be to add two more settings?!

I totally agree I'm sure the majority of people are happy to just take whatever they're given and leave everything on default settings, but I don't get why Amazon refuses to offer more options - there's plenty of us who would use them.

[WigglePig]

Before I comment on the margins issue I should point out that I also (currently) have a couple of Kobo ereaders.

One of the things I really like about the Kobo is the configurability, specifically around the line spacing, font sizes and margins. It just feels wrong that the eink display is used in a way which leaves such a large border around the block of text on the page and I used to twiddle with the setup file on my K3 to reduce the margin sizes. It looked weird with less than 5 points as a margin, for my tastes anyway, so I tended to stick with perhaps a quarter of the default. The Kobo just made that so much easier and the new Kindle devices look like they will make it much, much more difficult.

I would really like the option to have a smaller margin, mainly because it seems to be a more sensible use of the display real-estate but also because it just means a little fewer page-turns and so a bit of a smoother reading experience.

Still, I'm very much looking forward to using the new Kindle Voyage when mine arrives and I shall be moving my Kobo devices on to new users as I only really ever buy ebooks from amazon's store because it just works so much better than the other stores, again in my experience and opinion.

I had been waiting to see what the new Kobo device was like before deciding which way to go for a new reader but the H2O is just too little of a development from the Aura HD for me to go for it.

In short, please can we have just a bit more control over the margins and spacing please Amazon?

Tra

Jason

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by WigglePig

Before I comment on the margins issue I should point out that I also (currently) have a couple of Kobo ereaders.

One of the things I really like about the Kobo is the configurability, specifically around the line spacing, font sizes and margins. It just feels wrong that the eink display is used in a way which leaves such a large border around the block of text on the page and I used to twiddle with the setup file on my K3 to reduce the margin sizes. It looked weird with less than 5 points as a margin, for my tastes anyway, so I tended to stick with perhaps a quarter of the default. The Kobo just made that so much easier and the new Kindle devices look like they will make it much, much more difficult.

I would really like the option to have a smaller margin, mainly because it seems to be a more sensible use of the display real-estate but also because it just means a little fewer page-turns and so a bit of a smoother reading experience.

Still, I'm very much looking forward to using the new Kindle Voyage when mine arrives and I shall be moving my Kobo devices on to new users as I only really ever buy ebooks from amazon's store because it just works so much better than the other stores, again in my experience and opinion.

I had been waiting to see what the new Kobo device was like before deciding which way to go for a new reader but the H2O is just too little of a development from the Aura HD for me to go for it.

In short, please can we have just a bit more control over the margins and spacing please Amazon?

Tra

Jason

Given that you don't like the settings on the Kindle the way they are, why would you buy a Voyage until at least it's been hacked to work as you like?

Since the H2O is not enough of an upgrade for you, why not just save your money and stick with what works?

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Given that you don't like the settings on the Kindle the way they are, why would you buy a Voyage until at least it's been hacked to work as you like?

Since the H2O is not enough of an upgrade for you, why not just save your money and stick with what works?

Because wanting something, and refusing to use something because it has something you want is two different things. I want a lot of things from my devices, but I don't always expect them to have it. When I bought the mouse for my Nexus 10, I did not expect it to work (it only said compatible with win / mac). Turns out does not work correctly (jumps around) on my Nexus 10, but works perfect on my Nexus 7. I will live with it the way it is - not risking a different mouse in case it was the Nexus 10 that does not like mice ...

Who knows if:
a) the Voyage will be hackable (anytime soon)
b) when hacked the default reader for KF8 can be modified for margins

[GoSharks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Given that you don't like the settings on the Kindle the way they are, why would you buy a Voyage until at least it's been hacked to work as you like?

Since the H2O is not enough of an upgrade for you, why not just save your money and stick with what works?

Because...and this is just a guess...there may be more to an e-reader than just margins and line height!

[tompe]

Originally Posted by Crowl

I actually think that looks pretty horrible, it all seems to cramped and needlessly squished together so much that I'd end up reading slower with it set like that.

I agree. Also the space between lines is to small for optimal reading.

[Barty]

May I put an end to the font and margin bickering?

Just go back to the workaround the kindle keyboard had. People who wanted smaller margin just needed to change a line in a config file. People who wanted a different font just put the font in the fonts folder. Absolutely no visible difference to those who don't care. Amazon can go on denying the existence of this workaround so they don't need to train their tech support. Everybody is happy.

(I don't remember any body bricking their kindle because of this option in the kindle keyboard days, either. It's a whole lot safer than jailbreaking and patching jar files.)

[Canuck_in_Japan]

One reason I'm really pleased the Kindle Voyage is coming out is because that might actually prompt Rakuten to release the Kobo H2O here in Japan. The Aura HD never made it and there's no indication the H2O is coming so far. Of course, the Voyage is still only 6 inches and perhaps Kobo thinks that a 6.8 inch ereader just wouldn't be popular in Japan.

[robko]

Originally Posted by tompe

I agree. Also the space between lines is to small for optimal reading.

In which case, on a Kobo, you could just adjust the line spacing to one of the other 13 stock settings.

[tubemonkey]

I turn my K4S on and read. I never change any of the default settings. I'm quite content doing it this way. Amazon could remove all of the fonts, dictionaries, notes, highlighting, etc and I'd never notice.

[Mivo]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I turn my K4S on and read. I never change any of the default settings. I'm quite content doing it this way. Amazon could remove all of the fonts, dictionaries, notes, highlighting, etc and I'd never notice.

I'm like this with my e-readers, too. As long as I can adjust the font size, and the light can be turned off or very low, I'm happy. I have no other requirements. I adjust to whatever font is available, don't need dictionaries, never highlight or annotate anything, and a little more or less space around the edges makes no real difference to me (but I prefer as little unused space as possible).

Guess we are pretty low maintenance customers.

[kaufman]

Originally Posted by Mivo

I'm like this with my e-readers, too. As long as I can adjust the font size, and the light can be turned off or very low, I'm happy. I have no other requirements. I adjust to whatever font is available, don't need dictionaries, never highlight or annotate anything, and a little more or less space around the edges makes no real difference to me (but I prefer as little unused space as possible).

This exactly describes me as well. I also almost never move backwards. One thing that really excites me about the Voyage is that it is easy to move forwards with either hand. Moving backwards is far removed and will never be hit by accident.

If they had one more margin setting about half the current size, I think the Voyage would be perfect. Its still pretty close.